Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé began performing in local competitions at age 7, eventually forming the group Girl's Tyme in 1990 with help from her parents. Girl's Tyme became Destiny's Child in 1997.
During the hiatus of Destiny's Child in 2003, Beyoncé released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, which became one of the most successful albums of that year, and signaled her viability as a solo artist. The disbanding of Destiny's Child in 2005 facilitated her continued success: her sophomore solo album B'Day, released in 2006, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Her third solo album, I Am… Sasha Fierce, was released in November 2008, and in 2009 she received 10 Grammy Awards nominations. On January 31, 2010, she won 6 Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy awards won by a female artist in one night; she previously held the record of five awards with 5 other artists. Following a career hiatus, Beyoncé released her fourth studio album entitled "4" on June 24, 2011, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
2013 - 5th Album - "Beyoncé"
On December 12, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her fifth and self-titled album in the iTunes Store. Beyoncé called it a "visual album" as it includes 14 songs and 18 videos - with each track having a music video together with additional bonus videos. The album has a list of collaborators including Drake, Frank Ocean and her husband, Jay-Z, and daughter, Blue Ivy.
2015
In February 2015 at the 57th Grammy Awards, Beyoncé won 3 Grammys (and was nominated for 6 Grammy awards) - Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", Best R&B Performance and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.
On April 4th, 2015, Beyoncé surprised her fans with the release of a new single and accompanying video, released exclusively on the streaming service "Tidal" which she co-owns with a number of other big name starts including Arcade Fire, Daft Punk, Jack White, Kanye West, Madonna, Rihanna and Usher. The track, "Die With You" is a stripped down ballad, with Beyoncé sitting at a piano with pigtail braids: the song celebrates the seventh anniversary of her marriage to Jay-Z.
Super Bowl - February 2016
Beyoncé appeared on stage to perform her latest single "Formation", supporting the headline act Coldplay at the much coverted Super Bowl 50 half-time show on February 7, 2016. Also appearing on stage was Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson who performed their hit "Uptown Funk".
2016 - 6th Album - "Lemonade"
"Lemonade" is Beyoncé's a sixth solo album and was released on April 23, 2016 as an exclusive on the music streaming service, Tidal after it premiered on the TV Network, HBO, as a conceptual short film. It was subsequently made available for purchase on Apple's iTunes Store on April 24, 2016. The album has 12 tracks, with contributions from artists such as James Blake and Kendrick Lamar. According to a press release from Tidal which accompanied the release, "Lemonade" is “based on every woman’s journey of self-knowledge and healing”.
2017 - Grammy Awards
At the 59th Grammy Awards on Sun, February 12, 2017, Beyoncé took awards for "Best Urban Contemporary Album" for "Lemonade" and "Best Music Video" for "Formation"
2022 - 7th Album - "RENAISSANCE" (ACT i)
After a 6 year hiatus from music, Beyoncé announced the lead single "BREAK MY SOUL" on June 20, 2022, for her seventh studio album “RENAISSANCE" which is the first installment of a three-part project. "RENAISSANCE" was released on July 29, 2022, and was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to inspire joy in listeners. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the best-rated album of 2022, named the best album of the year by publications such as the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, NPR, Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone, which would later place the record at number 71 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. It then was nominated for Album of The Year at the 65 Annual Grammy Award Show and won Best Dance/Electronic Album.
2024 - 8th Album - "COWBOY CARTER" (ACT ii)
2 years after her seventh studio album, "RENAISSANCE", Beyoncé announced her eighth studio album "COWBOY CARTER" also known as “ACT ii” released on March 29, 2024. This serves as the second installment of the three-part project, and as long rumoured, its genre is country. The album was teased through a Verizon ad aired during the Super Bowl LVIII and was preceded with two surprise singles both released on February 10, 2024, "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "16 CARRIAGES".
Miscellaneous
Beyoncé began her acting career in 2001, appearing in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera. In 2006, she starred in the lead role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she earned two Golden Globe nominations.
On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were married in a small, private ceremony in New York. On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Beyoncé is sometimes referred to as Jay-Z's wifey and/or, Jay-Z's boo thang.
Beyoncé launched her family's fashion line, House of Deréon, in 2004, and has endorsed such brands as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani and L'Oréal.
In 2009, Forbes listed Beyoncé fourth on its list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential Celebrities in the world, third on its list of the top-grossing musicians, and number one on the list of top Best-Paid Celebs Under 30 with over $87 million dollars in earnings between 2008 and 2009.
Beyoncé has attained five Hot 100 number one singles, becoming one of the two female artists—joint with Rihanna—with the most number ones attained within the 2000s, excluding her three Hot 100 number one singles with Destiny's Child.
GreenLight
Beyoncé Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give it, give it
Give it to mama, mama (oh)
Give it
Give it to mama, mama
For some strange reason (huh)
You done pleasin' me like it's okay (oh, oh, oh)
The result is it just won't take (oh, oh, oh)
(I can see) now it's all coming so clear to me now
(I can see) misinterpreted all of my naiveness
Was just thinking if I had no you that I can't do
My stock just went up over two million
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (want to, want to) (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
Give it to mama
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, go, go oh oh
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, red light
(Ah) green light
Some see me, say I should be trophied
'Cause it gets no stronger (oh, oh, oh)
Ladies, y'all know (yeah, girl, y'all know)
This pimp-ish gets no older
Is that a threat? (what's another threat?)
Yep (that's another threat)
I'm immune, you can't get no cold, yeah
You got the green light (whoa)
You the king, right? (whoa)
You holdin' up traffic, green means go
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, red light, green light (I said you're holdin' up traffic, green means go)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh) (you got the green light baby)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh) (if you want to)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
(Give it to mama)
Ain't no problem, you can go
I will find somebody else
It's alright, I'll move along
You got the green light, so you can go
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go (red light, green light)
I gave all I could give, my love
My heart (my heart)
Now we're facing the end (the end) of what you did from the start
My love
(You're holdin' up traffic, green means go)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
(Give it to mama)
Ain't no problem, you can go
I will find somebody else
It's alright, I'll move along
You got the green light, so you can go
Go, go, go oh whoa oh (red light, green light)
The song "Green Light" by Beyonce Feat. Young Buck starts off with the repetitive phrase "Give it to mama" which implies that Beyonce is in control and she is demanding her partner to give her what she wants. The chorus of the song talks about her partner having the green light, which is a clear reference to a traffic signal. The green light signifies that her partner has the go-ahead from Beyonce to do whatever he wants. She's trying to make it clear that she's done with him and he can leave, but she's not going to stop him.
In the second verse, Beyonce talks about how her partner has been pleasing her, but she's not satisfied anymore. She uses a perm metaphor to explain that their relationship has been left too long and has resulted in the both of them getting hurt. Beyonce then reflects that she was naive and did not see her partner's true intentions but now she has realized her worth, and she's telling him if he wants to go, he's free to go because she's worth more than ever.
Line by Line Meaning
Give it to mama
Provide what 'mama' desires
Give it, give it
Provide what 'mama' desires (repeated)
Give it to mama, mama (oh)
Provide what 'mama' desires to 'mama'
For some strange reason (huh)
For an unknown reason
You done pleasin' me like it's okay (oh, oh, oh)
You have stopped trying to please me as if it's acceptable
Like a perm that's been left too long, it starts to burn
The result is it just won't take (oh, oh, oh)
Similar to a perm that, when left too long, causes a burning sensation and stops working, you have stopped pleasing me, and therefore, it's not working anymore
(I can see) now it's all coming so clear to me now
(I can see) misinterpreted all of my naiveness
Was just thinking if I had no you that I can't do
My stock just went up over two million
Now I can see things clearly, and I realize I misunderstood your intentions. I was naive to think that I couldn't do anything without you, but now that you've stopped pleasing me, my value has increased drastically
So if you want to (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
You got the green light (uh, uh, huh, uh, uh)
If you want to do something, you have the approval to proceed
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, go, go oh oh
Go, go, go, go oh oh oh
Go, go, red light
(Ah) green light
Go, go, go, don't wait because you have the green light to move forward
Some see me, say I should be trophied
'Cause it gets no stronger (oh, oh, oh)
Ladies, y'all know (yeah, girl, y'all know)
This pimp-ish gets no older
Some admire me and believe I should be awarded because my actions never falter. Women understand that my 'pimp-ish' mentality never ages
Is that a threat? (what's another threat?)
Yep (that's another threat)
I'm immune, you can't get no cold, yeah
Is it a threat? Yes, it is, and I'm immune to your actions. You can't make me falter
You got the green light (whoa)
You the king, right? (whoa)
You holdin' up traffic, green means go
You have approval to move forward, but since you believe you are the king, you're holding everyone back. Green means go
Ain't no problem, you can go
I will find somebody else
It's alright, I'll move along
You got the green light, so you can go
It's not a problem, you can move on. I'll find someone else. It's okay, I'll move on. You can go because you have approval to proceed
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go (red light, green light)
Go, go, go, there's nothing holding you back (red light, green light)
I gave all I could give, my love
My heart (my heart)
Now we're facing the end (the end) of what you did from the start
My love
I gave everything I could, but now I'm at the end of my rope. This is the result of your action from the beginning
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: Beyonce Knowles, Pharrell Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pynksiddity
This was Beyoncés first visual album. B’day was an ERA.
@jessiemerrill11
That was the first visual album ever...
@newman58352
The deluxe was better!
@pynksiddity
Newman & Beyond THATs the ONLY bday album that matters 😂😂😂 we only address deluxe albums only
@andrealp2899
The song is straight trash.
@joaofelipedasilva337
Yeah!!!!!
@tnargtnarud
"For some strange reason you're done pleasing me like it's okay."
Best opening verse, ever.
@tnargtnarud
*****
It's not a sarcasm. I actually do like that line. haha
@lau3673
I agree
@antiskilled
I love the "You ready" in Crazy in Love because we all weren't ready for what she grew into.